Gods of Greed - An Alternate Heresy
by ShinAyasaki
Summary: It is the time of the Horus Heresy, where Chaos makes its grand ploy to destroy the galaxy. But the Chaos Gods are not content with merely one dedicated legion per deity. No, they each want three. With the Chaos pantheon more confrontational and prone to infighting, how does the galaxy survive to see the grim darkness of the 41st millennium?
1. Chapter 1: The Horus Heresy

**Author's Note: This is not meant to be a complete and awesome reworking of the 40k universe. ****That said, please don't take this too seriously, it's purely for fun. Enjoy!**

**Also, the Word Bearers have already fallen to Chaos Undivided like in canon, I just don't care to write anything about that. :P**

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**Overview:**

An alternate reality where the Chaos Gods have sown the seeds of heresy within most of the 18 Space Marine Legions. Now, they war with each other, the Imperium of Man good only for raiding for slaves and material.

**Rough Timeline:**

The Council of Nikaea – To the celebration of Leman Russ and other like-minded Primarchs, the Emperor decrees his official censuring of psykers and the use of psychic abilities in his legions. Feeling betrayed by his father and ostracized by his brothers, Magnus takes his legion and returns to Prospero, derisively conveying a need to re-learn conventional ways of war to replace the loss of his legion's primary arsenal.

Ghoul Stars Crusade – On a quest to eradicate the dreaded Cythor Fiends from the silent worlds and haunting coronas of the Ghoul Stars, the Dark Angels are lured to and make planetfall upon a world of dust and bone. As their hallowed boots trod the dry and cracking earth, ravenous shades arise from the fleshless piles scattered round, gibbering insanely as fresh meat is deposited to them. The Dark Angels fight bravely, but these are creatures fallen, feral, and iron. Conventional weaponry merely blunts their blades; only sorcery can stem the tide of fleshless mockeries. As the Dark Angels fight perilously against the unliving, razor edged Cythor vessels appear in the skies above, raining down all manner of magics on the combatants below. Lion El'Jonson, locked in vicious combat with the Fallen Lord, is forced to his knees, and the Skinning Spear threatens to pierce his twin hearts. Incorporeal specters alight around him suddenly as sorcerous Cythor join their wayward hunters to purge this place that the very Warp recoils from. What occurs after the involvement of the tainted xenos is unclear, but the utter destruction of the bone planet speaks for itself. The Lion stalks out of the Ghoul Stars with a chilling new allegiance, and at his side, wielding the Skinning Spear for itself, stands the Dread Lord Cythor. The Dark Angels are corrupted by Tzeentch.

Enter the Dark City – In an attempt to halt piratical raids on Imperial shipping, Jaghatai Khan leads his sons on a campaign against the vile forces of the Dark Eldar, the war culminating in an invasion of the very webway itself. The Khan musters the full might of the Fifth Legion, but as the White Scars enter the alien realm, disaster strikes immediately. The webway separates the fleet with its jagged pathways and incomprehensible layout as raiders strike from hidden passages and impossible alcoves. The Dark Eldar cripple the Fifth Legion, dragging them back as captives to Commorragh for entertainment and experimentation.

War with the Laer – The Emperor's Children lead a valiant crusade against a foul xenos race known as the Laer, Fulgrim promising to purge them completely within one standard solar month. The following war is savage yet short, and the Emperor's Children are exposed to excesses and blasphemies that defy mortal comprehension. Upon his inevitable victory, Fulgrim claims a brilliant silver blade from the dead race as a trophy, and listens to the exquisitely honeyed words dripped into his ear by the daemonic weapon. The promise of perfection is utterly irresistible to the Phoenician, and Fulgrim and his legion are corrupted by Slaanesh.

Ullanor Crusade – After delivering the deathblow to the mightiest Ork empire ever encountered by humanity, Horus is appointed Warmaster. Before the Emperor returns to Terra to construct his secret project, he chooses Perturabo to be his Praetorian, to act as his personal bodyguard and be the constructor of the Imperial Palace on Terra. Rogal Dorn makes his displeasure known, before the Emperor, Perturabo, and the Iron Warriors legion return to Terra.

Enter the Dark City (2) – Deep in the darkest recesses of the torture chambers where the Dark Eldar hold the Khan hostage, a lone figure approaches the Fifth Primarch, wreathed in maleficence that is utterly alien compared to the evil radiated by the Dark Eldar. The maleficent one bears the Khan no hostility, wishing only to converse with him. With the last vestiges of his ever vaunted freedom, the Khan chooses to listen.

Corruption Spreads - Horus is laid low on Davin, and is corrupted by Chaos due to the efforts of Lorgar and his Word Bearers. The World Eaters soon follow, their bloodthirsty ways easily guiding them to Khorne. The Death Guard are afflicted with the Destroyer Plague, their fall to Nurgle guaranteed. Fulgrim approaches Ferrus Manus and offers him a place among the traitors. The Gorgon accepts, his friendship with the Phoenician delivering his legion into the waiting arms of Slaanesh.

Duel with the Diasporex – Bitter with the favoritism shown to Perturabo, Rogal Dorn directs his legion to war against a fleet of vicious raiders of human and xenos origin called the Diasporex. In void war, the Diasporex have the upper hand, and punish the Fists severely over the course of the war, each defeat driving Dorn closer to the edge. Finally though, the enemy stronghold is located, and the Phalanx takes flight against a brutally barbaric voidstation above the airless plains of a dead world orbiting a dying star, savagely constructed with the ancient bones of mighty spaceborne creatures long extinct. Both sides commit to boarding action, Dorn leading the charge on the enemy station, even as his flagship is invaded and overwhelmed. Aboard the superstructure, the seventh legion is confronted with vicious monsters baying for blood and bone, protected by massed piles of skulls and frescos of splattered blood. Dorn slays the leader of the Diasporex in single combat, and voices of praise begin singing in his head. Dorn tries desperately to save his beloved Phalanx, but the Diasporex invaders sense the loss of their patron's support, and destroy it from within as a final act of spite. As the Fists watch helplessly from boarding craft yet to launch, the Phalanx implodes. Rage courses through Dorn's soul as the voices reach a crescendo, and something in him snaps. Coated in the blood of the fallen, Dorn descends into murderous madness against the remnants of the ill-favored Diasporex, and his sons follow. The Imperial Fists become one with Khorne.

Exit the Dark City – Thunderous tremors rock the foundations of Commorragh as Jaghatai Khan is unleashed, his eyes alight with ecstasy at the sheer sensations of suffering being emanated by countless emaciated slaves and tormented captives. His dark patron at his side, the Khan rampages through the prison cells, a dark liberator rallying all to his banner with the simple goal of exacting vengeance upon the Dark Eldar. The Khan's war continues as the White Scars rejoin the fray, wreaking havoc upon the arrogant xenos with abandon. During this time, the Khan converts his legion to worship of his new patron power, with any detractors clasped in chains. The White Scars attain salvation through Slaanesh.

Destruction of Nostramo – During a vision-induced madness, Konrad Curze appears to succumb to insanity, fully transforming into the Night Haunter. The Night Haunter's first command is to call for the elimination of those within the legion he deems weak or otherwise unworthy of the lives gifted unto them by the Legion; any legionnaire he knows will not follow him in his madness is murdered. When the purge is complete, he returns to Nostramo and burns it, and the Night Lords are fully steeped in the corruption of Tzeentch.

Isstvan Atrocity – The Luna Wolves, World Eaters, Emperor's Children, and Iron Hands massacre their loyalists in a grand spectacle of treachery. Only a small force of loyalists manage to escape, fleeing the carnage aboard the grand cruiser _Red Talon_.

Burning of Prospero – The Space Wolves are presented with evidence of Thousand Sons sorcery by agents of the Dark Angels. Guided by the counsel of the Lion, still thought loyal to the Emperor, Leman Russ and his legion attack the Thousand Son's homeworld. Magnus, having foreseen the battle to come, is ready. The war rapidly draws out into a bloody stalemate, the Thousand Sons desperately trying to save their people and lore, the Space Wolves furiously trying to slaughter their way through the psychic wards erected by Magnus and his sons.

Drop Site Massacre – In an attempt to purge the traitorous Luna Wolves, World Eaters, Emperor's Children, and Iron Hands at Isstvan, the Salamanders, Raven Guard, and Blood Angels are betrayed and gutted by the Word Bearers, White Scars, and Dark Angels.

Pox of Promise - The Blood Angels fight bravely against the traitors, slaying many of their former brothers in arms. Alas, it is ultimately futile, for Sanguinius meets Horus on the battlefield, and the Angel falls to the Warmaster. The loss of their Primarch induces a resonant psychic shockwave through all Blood Angels, and the severity of the legion's gene flaws increases exponentially. Filled with grief and wracked with rage and thirst, the surviving Blood Angels desperately seek a way to stabilize their gene flaws, accepting an offer of assistance from the Death Guard. As the Rust begins coursing through their veins, the Blood Angels are turned to the service of Nurgle.

Flight of the Raven - As they escape the hellish site of the massacre, the Raven Guard and Salamanders promise to exact vengeance upon their traitorous kin, and leave to return to their own worlds. The Raven Guard return to Deliverance to find the Imperial Fists terrorizing their planet, slaughtering the remnants of the legion with bloodthirsty glee. The Raven Guard defend their planet admirably, but the bloodied berserkers are too much for them. Corvus Corax is eviscerated by Rogal Dorn in single combat. The remaining Raven Guard, broken with the loss of their father, flee.

Through the Fire and Flames - The Salamanders make haste to Nocturne, only to find it besieged by Night Lords. Though the midnight-clad greatly outnumber the Salamanders, Vulkan stands firm, and with his guidance, the Salamanders eject the Night Lords from their home, sending the enemy scattering through the void. With his legion decimated and his planet devastated, Vulkan begins the long, painful process of rebuilding.

The Push to Terra – As the true magnitude of treachery is revealed to the Imperials, Horus consolidates his forces for a sweeping advance towards the Throneworld while simultaneously fending off the only uncorrupted legions that can interfere. Many loyalist worlds between Istvaan and Terra capable of resistance are subjected to massed orbital bombardment, their infrastructures unnecessary to supporting Horus' war effort. Knowing fully how vulnerable the Imperium is with so many legions having turned traitor, Perturabo dispatches a tenth of his legion to raise a mighty ring of citadels in key systems surrounding Terra.

Ultramar Campaign – The Word Bearers and the World Eaters march on Ultramar, their ferocious advances putting the Ultramarines on the defensive. Though they fight on home territory, the Ultramarines are unable to bring a quick end to the war, and unable to send help to Terra.

Lost in the Darkness – The Raven Guard remnants are caught in the pull of a psychic storm, the Warp tides guiding them to meet up with the Night Haunter. The specifics of this incident are lost to Imperial records, but at meeting's end, the Raven Guard are turned to the worship of Tzeentch.

Shadow Wars – The Night Lords and their new Raven Guard allies engage known Alpha Legion strongholds. The Alpha Legion responds, hunting their hunters with their usual efficiency. The Shadow Wars begin.

Return to Caliban – Lion El'Jonson returns to Caliban to recruit the rest of his legion for Chaos. As the bulk of his fleet passes near the planet, hundreds of orbital cannons and void turrets come to life and unleash havoc upon the traitors as Luther and the rest of his legion spring their ambush, loyalists to the end. The Caliban Civil War begins.

Burning of Prospero (2) – The Space Wolves hurl themselves at the Thousand Sons with abandon, casualties piling higher and higher. Leman Russ, finally at the breaking point, allows his Rune Priests to unleash their full potential. The unexpected psychic backlash allows the Space Wolves to rush the Thousand Sons; as they are cut down, the legion of psykers responds in the cruelest manner possible: psychically accelerating the decay and mutation of their foes' gene-seed. And thus, the Sixth Legion is enslaved to the Rubric of Ahriman. The Space Wolves are morphed into crazed beasts of horrendous mutation, becoming easy prey for the Plague Lord, who offers false promises of salvation from this terrible curse. Russ, horrified at what his legion has become, takes the only option he sees, and his legion is anointed in the puss and bile of Grandfather Nurgle. Faced with the Space Wolves' new powers, the Thousand Sons are overwhelmed, and are forced to leave their homeworld to Russ's toxic barbarity.

Return to Caliban (2) – The Dark Angels destroy themselves, the marines under the Lion and Luther trading blow for blow, salvo for salvo. At last the battle comes to a head, when the Lion makes planetfall on the knightly world. His sorcerous powers crackling with unholy magic, the Lion decimates the loyalists, swatting them aside until he comes face to face with Luther. The two duel, and though Luther is powerful, he is no match for a Primarch. The Lion Sword disembowels him with a single blow. But with Luther's death comes the shockwaves of an unknown spell, and the world is torn apart. The loyalist Dark Angels are scattered throughout time and space, and the Lion is struck with nothing less than utter humiliation. Returning to his darkness, he sets course for Terra.

The Iron Cage – As the traitors make their way to Terra, countless worlds burning in their wake, their sweeping blitzkrieg is finally halted as they encounter the first of the Fourth Legion's Iron Cage worlds. As more of these bastions are discovered, Horus spreads his forces to exterminate them all. Though vastly outnumbered, the garrisoned Iron Warriors fight fiercely, buying precious time for the rest of their legion to finish defenses on the Throneworld.

Majik, The Gathering – On the world of Majik, the Thousand Sons emerge from the Warp for a brief respite from the death of their homeworld and the decimation of their legion. Here, on this industrialized world, the Fifteenth Legion attempts to restock their armouries of conventional weaponry and other supplies. The Dark Angels, heeding the scorched earth policy, arrive in system and attempt to wipe out Majik and its great factoriums and shipyards. Battle is joined, and, under the guidance of Tzeentch, the Dark Angels obliterate Imperial defenses with unnatural precision, leaving the Thousand Sons intact. Tzeentch desires their natural psychic prowess for himself. Despite the Thousand Sons' best efforts, the world of Majik is sundered through means magical and mundane, and with the Dark Angels drawing their blockade ever closer to encompassing the planet's orbit, it appears that the Thousand Sons are in for a fight to the death.

Breaking the Cage – They are surrounded. They are divided. They are without support, and without any possible hope of reinforcement. They are massacred. Yet the blood price upon their heads far exceeds any reasonable projection of traitor casualties; the Iron Warriors fall, but the traitor victory is decidedly pyrrhic. The Iron Cage is broken, lock by lock, link by link. And with the Iron Hands acting as his vanguard, Horus continues onward to Terra.

Angels and Daemons – Over the desolated world of Majik, the Space Wolves enter the fray, having followed the Thousand Sons from Prospero. Bearing the mark of Nurgle and looted wargear from the Fifteenth Legion, the Space Wolves close in, firing at the Dark Angels who appear to be shielding them from the Sixth Legion's fury. Though the Lion tries to impress upon Russ the necessity of impressing the psyker legion into the service of Chaos, the new servant of Nurgle is uncompliant, and the Wolves tear into the Angels. The Lion is infuriated with Russ's shortsightedness, and strikes back with the fury of the First Legion. The Thousand Sons, mere observers of the greater battle, take on as many Imperial refugees and supplies as they can before Magnus scuttles the traitor fleets with a massive Warp Storm, a feat achieved with the aid of the world's natural inclinations towards the arcane. The Thousand Sons and their charges escape into the Warp, while the Dark Angels and Space Wolves are scattered.

Schism of Mars - The Iron Hands make landfall on Mars to assist the Dark Mechanicus in the Schism. Amidst the terrifying sight of gargantuan war Titans trading salvoes, the Iron Hands weave their dark magics into the traitor machines, blessing them with unholy powers from the Empyrean.

Battle of Terra – Horus makes way to Terra, the planet guarded only by the Iron Warriors, the Warmaster backed by the full might of the Luna Wolves, Imperial Fists, Blood Angels, Death Guard, Emperor's Children, and White Scars. Though their goal is clear, only the Luna Wolves and Imperial Fists wage war against the Imperial Palace, the others pursuing their own ends on Terra to appease their chosen deities. Rogal Dorn leads a reckless charge against the Iron Warriors, breaking open the outer shell of the palatial defenses. The blood-soaked berserker comes face to face with Perturabo, and red-hot bloodlust meets cold fury. After a battle of cataclysmic proportion, Perturabo breaks Dorn over his knee, ending the would-be daemon prince before he has the chance to ascend.

Shadow Wars (2) – The Alpha Legion, Night Lords, and Raven Guard maintain their fighting, scarring the deep underworlds of countless planets across the galaxy. Each faction is relentless in the pursuit of their prey, but the Raven Guard suddenly depart the conflict, the announcement of Dorn's death drawing them to Terra. While half of the loyalist legion continues the war of attrition with the Night Lords, the other half follows the Raven Guard.

Battle of Terra (2) – As the Imperial Fists demand to rush the Imperial Palace to get vengeance for their father's death, Horus manages to hold them back, and he finally manages to enlist the aid of the Death Guard and White Scars, their Primarchs now convinced Perturabo is a danger to them. The four traitor legions rush the Imperial Palace, and the Iron Warriors' bulwarks become too flooded with foes to function. Though they inflict grave casualties on the traitors, their positions are broken open, and the Iron Warriors are slaughtered. Suddenly, the Raven Guard fleet appears over the planet, deploying their entire force onto Terra. Horus is delighted at their arrival, believing the Alpha Legion to be no more. His delight soon turns to unbridled fury when the Raven Guard turn on the Imperial Fists, scything them limb from limb in vengeance for Corax. Calls for them to cease are unmet, and Horus turns on the servants of Tzeentch, unleashing his wrath. The Luna Wolves follow, tearing out the hearts of their foes to let blood run, annointing them in the worship of Khorne.

Schism of Mars (2) – The Iron Hands successfully subjugate the loyalist elements of the Adeptus Mechanicus, reveling in their victory with Warp-touched elation. Though the original plan calls for the Tenth Legion to now join the fight on Terra, Ferrus Manus is made aware of a more tempting target, and he enlists the help of the Fabricator-General. The Iron Hands and the Mechanicus leave the Sol System.

Shadow Wars (3) – Locked in a temporary stalemate with the Alpha Legion, the Night Haunter makes the tactical decision to withdraw to Terra, believing the superiority of the traitors' overwhelming numbers sufficient to crush the mysterious hydra. The Night Lords fly, and the rest of the Alpha Legion follows.

Ultramar Campaign (2) – Though the realm of Ultramar defies the vicious assaults of the World Eaters and Word Bearers, the Ultramarines overextend themselves in their attempts to guard each world from harm. The traitor forces have no such trouble, warping into real space to raid and pillage, then warping out to continue elsewhere. In a grand gambit, Roboute Guilliman uses himself as bait for Lorgar and Angron, a plan that enacts successfully on the world of Calth. The two traitor Primarchs make landfall, willingly walking into the Ultramarines' prepared ambush sites and kill zones, utterly apathetic at the deaths of their sons, their focus aimed singularly at killing the Ultramarines Primarch. Guilliman awaits them grimly, and battle is joined. The fight ends with Guilliman lofted high atop Gorefather and Gorechild, the twin chainaxes biting deep into his back. With contemptuous ease, Angron hurls him to the earth, and the traitor Primarchs depart. Lorgar senses something amiss on Terra. Though it breaks their superhuman hearts to do so, the Ultramarines leave their fallen father and follow.

Battle of Terra (3) – The Alpha Legion appears in the skies, Alpharius leading them, utilizing their unique skills to sow discord and confusion among the traitors' ranks. They deceive them into seeing enemies where there are allies, luring them to create enemies of those allies. The Alpha Legion ploy works wonders: White Scars are accused of attacking Blood Angels; Death Guard are accused of attacking Luna Wolves; Imperial Fists are accused of attacking Emperor's Children. Coupled with the prior actions of the Raven Guard, conflict erupts immediately between the followers of the Chaos pantheon, and the Alpha Legion successfully infiltrates into the Imperial Palace.

Battle of Terra (4) – With combat raging throughout the Imperial Palace, the few Iron Warriors remaining regroup at the Throne Room alongside their father and their Emperor. The Alpha Legion arrives, bolstering the loyalists' numbers greatly, though still far too little to survive the wrath of the skirmishing legions above. Resigned to their fates, the loyalist space marines prepare for the last. But finally, the Emperor cannot watch any more of his sons die. He orders them to leave, to rebuild their forces and strike at the heart of Chaos when the time is right. But he knows they will not leave him, and is unsurprised when his sons refuse. The Emperor smiles sadly, before entombing himself upon a brilliant Golden Throne. His screams of agony echo throughout the Empyrean, distressing countless Warp entities, decimating lesser beings instantaneously. The Emperor is no more. On the mortal plane of reality, psykers across the galaxy spasm, suffering indescribable traumas to their minds and souls. The loyalists are shaken, and the traitors are stunned. Deep within the Warp, Magnus begins weeping out of his single eye. Elsewhere within the Warp, Lorgar smiles. In a distant galaxy, a trillion, trillion light years away, the Hive Mind takes notice.

Destruction of Terra (1) – Broken, but forever pragmatic, Perturabo begins orders for evacuating, his brother and their sons too shocked to resist. Amongst the traitors, the fighting sees a brief lull pass, a calm for celebration. Then the fighting picks up once more. With the Emperor dead, the Chaos Gods are truly free of their alliance, and the struggle for supremacy continues. As the loyalists attempt to flee the Imperial Palace, they are separated, lost in the sorceries of the damned Tzeentchian Raven Guard, doubtlessly meant to trap both loyalist and traitor alike. As the constructors of the Imperial Palace, Perturabo and his own are free to depart, but Alpharius remains trapped within.

Destruction of Terra (2) – In space, the Dark Angels and Night Lords arrive, the two worshipers of Tzeentch on course for Terra. As they make planetfall, they unleash dreaded magics upon their new foes, sparing only the Raven Guard from the destruction. The Alpha Legion regroups fully, eagerly extracting Perturabo and his sons. Not long after, the Thousand Sons emerge from the Warp, weakened terribly by their physical trials, demoralized into despair with the loss of their Emperor; they are powerless to intervene. But the Thousand Sons still recognize the terrible sigils being burned into the earth by the Dark Angels warships, still recognize the vortex of concentrated Warp energy being drawn upon by the Tzeentchian legions. Terra is being turned into a daemon planet.

Destruction of Terra (3) – Deep within the bowels of the Imperial Palace, Alpharius wrestles with the mental puzzle that is the Raven Guard labyrinth, attempting to learn its paths and predict its twists. His sons try to follow, but are led astray time and time again. Alpharius refuses to give in, refuses to fall short of carrying out his father's last directive. But time is not on his side, for it feels as if decades have gone by with him wandering, him and the few that remain by his side. With the power of the Warp, perhaps decades had indeed gone by. It is almost enough to break him. But then Alpharius hears the telltale sound of an approaching warrior. His eyes narrow. He knows that sound. Recklessly, he rushes through the labyrinth, his companions unable to keep up with his seemingly instinctual ability to find that sound. Alpharius is lost, but he continues to hear the growing noise, the ever-louder growling of a very specific bike. Jaghatai Khan is near.

Destruction of Terra (4) – The Space Wolves burst forth from the immaterium like the savage brutes they once were, now the insidious plague bearers they are. Though the Thousand Sons are within sight, Leman Russ directs his vengeance towards the other psyker legions. The Dark Angels feel his wrath instead. Soon after, the Word Bearers and World Eaters arrive. Angron feels his bloodthirst grow at the ensuing carnage on the planet, and joins his Khornate allies in the brawl. Lorgar is dismayed, but does not impede his Gods' designs. He instead focuses on the loyalists, and the Word Bearers meet the Alpha Legion in void combat. The field of battle plays to neither legions' strength, and the outcome is unknowable.

Destruction of Terra (5) – The Khan roars atop his mount, the sheer pleasure and freedom of this endless maze enveloping him completely. Never again would the Khan achieve such orgasmic bliss, not in this plane nor the Empyrean. A flickering line appears before him, and as his bike carries him forth, the Khan finds himself decapitated. His body and bike continue on, exploding upon impact with one of the Warp palace's walls. The Pale Blade shimmers, and Alpharius steps out from behind an alcove. He stares at his traitorous brother's head and stabs it again in hollow vengeance. His goal complete, he begins wandering the halls once more, searching for egress.

Destruction of Terra (6) – The Ultramarines arrive, tipping the balance of power against the Word Bearers. The Word Bearers retreat, intent on spreading the glories of Chaos throughout the galaxy. Alpharius finds his way out of the maze and is recovered by his legion. Demoralized and drained from their trials and the loss of the Emperor, the loyalists depart Terra for their respective homeworlds in an attempt to preserve what they can. Back on Terra, the world is engulfed in chaotic energies, and the vast majority of Segmentum Solar is twisted with evil power. A psychic shockwave spreads throughout the galaxy, as a new permanent Warp Storm is brought into being. The Vortex of Doom is created. The traitor legions, caught within the grasp of the Vortex, escape and spread out amongst the stars to tear down the corpse of the Imperium, and bring worship to their chosen deities.

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**AN: And that's it! For those who find it hard to keep track of all the legions:**

**Imperial: Ultramarines, Iron Warriors, Salamanders, Thousand Sons, Alpha Legion**

**Khorne: Luna Wolves, World Eaters, Imperial Fists**

**Tzeentch: Dark Angels, Raven Guard, Night Lords**

**Nurgle: Death Guard, Blood Angels, Space Wolves**

**Slaanesh: Emperor's Children, Iron Hands, White Scars**

**Chaos Undivided: Word Bearers**


	2. Chapter 2: The Eldar

**Chapter 2 - The Eldar**

**AN: This chapter runs concurrently with the first chapter, particularly the latter half of the Heresy. There is a noticeable sync up point though.**

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**Eldar Age of Mourning**

Visions of Obscurity – In a surprising spectacle never before experienced, the Eldar observe the Eye of Terror diminish, the massive Warp Storm receding from the outermost reaches of their once great empire. Concerned, the farseers of Ulthwe cast the runes of prophecy, navigating the tumultuous paths of the future with noticeable difficulty. The results are conflicting and incomprehensible, even by Eldar standards, but one thing is clear: the strands of fate stand at a crossroads, a crossroads that could lead to the resurgence of the Eldar, or complete oblivion. Eldrad Ulthran, greatest seer of all Ulthwe, gazes into the future of the numerous yet insignificant race known as humanity, despairing as his divinations reveal the Fall of Terra. What lies beyond is pure Chaos, a miasma that not even Eldrad can pierce. The Eldar must act accordingly.

Strength in Unity – Emissaries are sent to the other known Craftworlds to enlist their aid, spreading messages of the coming storm and the calamity soon to befall the galaxy, but their tidings are misinterpreted or ignored. Some, such as Iyanden, are too embroiled in their own campaigns to offer assistance while others, such as the suspicious Alaitoc, outright refuse to entreat with any that choose to be in such close proximity with the raw power of the Eye. Still, many Craftworlds respond favorably to Ulthwe's summons, and they gather together at the doorstep of the Eye of Terror to determine their course.

Divided We Stand – Representatives from dozens of Craftworlds gather aboard Ulthwe to decide the course the Eldar race will follow. Eldrad speaks of the countless thousands of Chaos thralls that march for the mon'keigh homeworld, and tells of the impending downfall of the Imperium of Man and the catastrophic consequences for the galaxy at large. He proposes a mobilization of all Eldar fleets and forces to rescue the foolish humans before this comes to pass. However, the Eldar remember the hostilities exhibited by the Imperium of Man, remember the psychic screams of Mor-rioh'I and Thuyelsa, Craftworlds lost to human ferocity during their so called Great Crusade; many Eldar believe this to be a fitting retribution for their lost kin. Eldrad urges them to reconsider, as any Chaos victory is a defeat to the Eldar, but Biel-Tan proposes another course of action: let the humans destroy themselves while the Eldar reclaim what was once theirs. It is clear with the shrinking of the Eye that the dark gods' attentions are elsewhere; they propose the Eldar enter the Eye and purge it from within, restoring what was once lost and severely weakening the eternal grip on their souls. Though some Craftworlds stand with Ulthwe, many more flock to Biel-Tan.

The Dice are Cast – Ulthwe and Biel-Tan are both obstinate in their positions, and the gathered Craftworlds side with one or the other. The smaller of the two factions, the Ulthwe Alliance, is formed in accordance with Craftworlds that hold lesser ambitions or lesser spite towards humanity, such as Il-Kaithe. The larger, the Biel-Tan Coalition, encompasses numerous others such as Iybraesil and Yme-Loc, those dedicated to reclaiming the lost glories of the Eldar Empire. There are, however, a few that refuse to participate in either course, such as Lugganath, believing them to be foolish ways of running towards assured destruction. Regardless of which path the Craftworlds choose, no blood is shed, and the Eldar depart.

Vengeance of Vaul – As the traitor legions wage war to Terra, the Biel-Tan Coalition sweeps into the Gothic Sector of Segmentum Obscurus, boarding and activating the massive space-bound monstrosities the Imperium refers to as the Blackstone Fortresses, otherwise known to the Eldar as the Talismans of Vaul. With the mortal minions of Chaos occupied with the Battle of Terra, the Biel-Tan Coalition is able to use these weapons to devastating effect on Chaos claimed worlds around the Eye of Terror, striking continuous blows against the dark gods' hold on the material galaxy. Among the many planets to fall victim to the Eldar's crusade is Medusa, the homeworld of the Iron Hands blasted into oblivion with the awesome might of the untainted Warp.

The Hidden Dagger Strikes – For a time, it seems as if the destruction of so many warp-touched worlds repulses the predacious advances of Chaos, the Eye of Terror gradually shrinking as planet after planet is scuttled to the void, its daemonic hosts purged utterly with the fires of the Eldar. The Biel-Tan Coalition continues its crusade, reaching the outer fringes of their once magnificent empire. It is here, on the edge of their ancestral domain, that the hidden minions of Chaos strike the Eldar, blindsiding them with a terribly familiar swiftness. It is in this first attack that the Eldar learn the ultimate fate of the forgotten Altansar.

Of Blood and Tears – The Ulthwe Alliance makes haste to Terra to stand with the humans, but they are waylaid time and time again by human cultists and traitor elements of the Imperial Army. Finally, as the Alliance prepares for the final jump over the dead maiden world known as the World of Blood and Tears, the Iron Hands emerge to challenge them, backed by the full might of the corrupted Adeptus Mechanicus. Though the war for Terra rages still, Ferrus Manus and the Fabricator General find combatting the Eldar to offer far more valuable prizes than fighting the Emperor ever could. As the Tenth Primarch commands his legion to a boarding action of unprecedented scale, Titan Legions make planetfall on the Craftworlds.

Purge the Unclean – The Biel-Tan Coalition makes every effort to locate and destroy the corrupted Craftworld of Altansar, the Chaos Eldar unleashing staggering tolls upon their former brethren in lightning raids and guerilla assaults. With their psychic powers amplified by their exposure to the raw Warp and the blessings of Slaanesh, Altansar is able to repulse the collected Craftworlds entirely.

Path of the Warrior – The void battle between the Ulthwe Alliance and the Chaos forces devolves into uncontrolled carnage, hundreds of vessels torn asunder in a great graveyard of ships. On the Craftworlds, every single Eldar heeds the call to war, donning aspect armor and drawing blade, as Guardians take defensive positions in every building, every home. The Wraithlord rise in a desperate ritual of necromancy, the deadly constructs lining entire districts of the Craftworlds as moving walls, their mighty guns ready for war. The taint of Chaos is tangible as the enemy vanguard arrives, and battlelines are drawn with the hellish weapons of Titans, scarring deeply into the Craftworlds as Wraithlords respond in kind. Ancient webway gates activate as the Phoenix Lords arrive to defend their people.

The Prey, Cornered – Having finally located Altansar amidst the tumultuous currents and astral rip tides of the Eye, the Biel-Tan Coalition consolidates their forces for a single assault to expunge Altansar from existence. The sheer scale of the battle, this single skirmish, is truly immense. Entire planets wage war, hundreds of battle fleets dueling in the insane miasma of the Empyrean, millions of Eldar warriors committed to the eradication of their counterparts. A single volley erupts from the Talismans of Vaul, and battle commences.

Severing the Thread – Eldrad frantically searches through the divinations of fate, seeking a way to save the galaxy from the Chaos to come. Future after future is analyzed and discarded, but time is quickly running out. Finally, his fingers brush the edge of a fate less bleak than the others, and as he grasps it, he feels defeat. There is only one path open to him; only one way to save Ulthwe. The mighty seer, certain of the path he chooses to tread, instructs the Craftworlds to flee. But that is not all that is required for the survival of Ulthwe. Calling upon his vast reserves of psychic might, Eldrad steps through the roiling Empyrean, warded solely by the power of his mental fortitude. As reality once more sets into place around him, he finds himself aboard the Fist of Iron, the flagship of the Iron Hands, standing before the baleful eyes of Ferrus Manus. Forgebreaker in hand, the Primarch glows with the soft light of corruption, and a satisfied snarl appears on his face. Eldrad responds in kind, and the Gorgon meets the Father of Ulthwe. Eldrad is mighty, scoring a deep gash in the Gorgon's side before severing a leg at the knee, but his psychic powers are useless against the Warp-touched, necrotic metal hands of the Tenth Primarch. On his last leg, Ferrus Manus grabs Eldrad with his metal hands and chokes the Father with a grip of iron. Eldrad dies, his spirit departing to inhabit the soulstone embedded in his armor, and the Gorgon casts aside the empty vessel contemptuously. As he smashes the soulstone of the Eldar's most powerful psyker upon his armor, a wave of undiluted Chaos emanates from his body, and the Gorgon ascends as the first of the Daemon Primarchs. With the death of Eldrad, the Ulthwe Alliance shatters. Though they remain under assault by Skiitari, Titans, and Iron Hands, the Craftworlds run.

The Eye Convulses – Distracted with the immediate threat of Altansar, the Biel-Tan Coalition is unaware of the terrible dual tragedies befalling Ulthwe and Terra. As the Vortex of Doom is brought into being, the Eye of Terror swells, unleashing horrific torrents of Warp energy as the Craftworlds are lost to the tumult. Most Craftworlds are destroyed outright, left as lifeless husks to be inhabited by demons and other warpspawn; others are corrupted, joining the ranks of Altansar as servants of Slaanesh; a rare few emerge into realspace, scattered across the galaxy, scarred irreparably in mind, body, and soul. After all their work, after all their sacrifices, the Eldar's crusade is rendered meaningless.

Bound to Blood – Lost in the vagaries of the Eye, Biel-Tan is faced with the certain destruction of their world, daemons of all kinds pouring through their home to exact their terrible toll upon the populace. In a final act of defiance and desperation, the Eldar of Biel-Tan stave off the daemonic assault and the predations of Slaanesh through an unforeseen compact. Biel-Tan pledges itself to Khorne.

Exodus of Sorrow – Demoralized with their utter failure to fulfill Eldrad's prophecy, the surviving Craftworlds of the Ulthwe Alliance fight forlornly against the invaders that remain trapped on their homes, the Wraithbone superstructures chipped away layer by layer, spire by spire, artery by artery. Upon Ulthwe, the webway gates flare to life as surviving Eldar from those Craftworlds lost at the Battle of Blood and Tears pour through in droves, seeking a sanctuary Ulthwe cannot provide. Bolstered by these meager survivors, the Black Guardians of Ulthwe repulse the invading hordes, a campaign that results in the desolation and possible contamination of over half the Craftworld.

The Second Dusk Falls – The Eldar as a race have fallen even further into the depths of extermination, and are more fractured than ever before. Messengers sent to those Craftworlds that did not participate in either crusade are dispatched, returning to Ulthwe in shame. Alaitoc condemns them and refuses to communicate with them any longer, seeing them as inept and susceptible to Chaos. Iyanden and Saim-Hann are equally displeased, though not so caustic in their responses. Many minor Craftworlds react the same. Now more than ever, Ulthwe stands alone, the few that remain at her side reviled and scorned. Once again, the Eldar enter mourning.

* * *

_Farseer Taldeer shouted as she loosed a bolt of eldritch lightning, channeling the raw power through her Witchblade as the runes etched upon it glowed white. A trio of Unproven burned before her, littering the ground with their charred bodies in a final accompaniment to the arrangement of corpses. The immediate threat dealt with, Taldeer turned back to gaze over the blighted wastes of Tartarus, a disquiet settling over her soul as she once more witnessed the damned of Biel-Tan clashing violently with her own warhost._

_The initiates of Khorne were brutal, and no less skillful than they had been before their willing corruption. The damage they dealt to their uncorrupted cousins was all too clear, evidenced as a Skeleton of Fire hurled a blast of infernal power, snuffing out two full squads of Black Guardians immediately. The Ulthwe warhost responded in kind soon enough, as a Fire Prism dispensed retribution for its lost kin, the Skeleton falling as it screamed its eternal rage in defiance._

_Taldeer signaled for another Warlock escort as she recast the runes of the future amidst the turmoil of battle. Her eyes flared as she lost sight of the physical realm, her mind tapping into the plane of possibilities, an innumerable number of twisted strands appearing before her. She sifted through them quickly, discarding one after another as she searched for the optimal path for the Ulthwe Eldar, telepathically directing a unit of Fire Dragons to relocate before their position was overwhelmed._

_The Farseer would have remained in her trance until victory was theirs, but alas, the skeins of fate were not quite so generous._

"_Enemy armour, on the ridge!" shouted a Warlock._

_Taldeer halted her scrying, head snapping across the battlefield and past the dozen or so Unproven being held off by her escort to behold half a dozen Bloodfire Platforms arrayed against them, their barrels aimed towards the skies._

_The Eldar arts of war are, above all else, precision personified, and that held true for all Eldar, even the corrupted. If those cannons struck, her warhost would be crippled._

'_Fall back!' she projected telepathically, 'Fall back to the final line with all speed!' Raising the weapon in her offhand, Taldeer let fly a burst of shurikens, completely dismembering one of her aggressors. Wary of the enemy artillery, she scurried away, laying down more shurikens as discouragement, her escort at her side._

_A great volley sounded in the distance, and not long after a shockwave of heat and concussion knocked the Farseer off her feet, pitching her forwards into an ungraceful landing. Taldeer shouted in pain as she felt hot burns coating her back, the fiery projectile completely disintegrating the rear of her armor. She gazed behind her, dismayed to see shredded Ulthwe armor and charred gore littering the area she had just stood. There were no soulstones._

_Flooding her system with benign psychic power, she bore the brunt of her injury stoically, eyes taking stock of her forces. Another four squads of Black Guardians, fallen. Two squads of Howling Banshees, immolated. The Fire Dragons she had so recently intervened with were burnt to cinders. A pair of Fire Prisms now lay as charred wrecks. An Exarch was gone as well. The warning had come far too late. Why had she not seen it earlier?  
_

_Her warhost was in a bad position, but the final line still retained its static D-Cannons, as well as a healthy complement of Wraithguard. The scenario was difficult, but her situation was not unsalvageable. Taldeer needed only to remain alive long enough to direct them._

_She ran, heedless of any Chaos Eldar still set on her trail, ignoring the agonizing throbbing that laced her nerves with every action. As she approached the overwatch ridge where she would survey the final line, she felt a lance of despair run through her spine. The D-Cannons were going silent one by one, and Skeletons of Fire were unleashing roars of rage as they approached, bringing their infernal weaponry to bear. But to Taldeer, neither of those problems was as damning as the sight of Blood Brides tearing their way through the battlefield towards her._

_They were coming for her. They were coming to kill her. But more damning than that, they were coming to shatter the Maledictum._

_And at the head of the pack was the Hand of Hate, Macha._

* * *

KNOWN FORCES OF THE KHORNATE ELDAR

· Unproven - Khornate Eldar footsoldier

· Skeletons of Fire - Corrupted Wraithlord

· Bloodfire Platforms - Khornate Artillery

· Blood Brides - Corrupted Howling Banshees

· Hands of Hate - Leaders of the Khornate Eldar

* * *

**AN: So... there are Craftworld Eldar, Dark Eldar, and now two opposing factions of Chaos Eldar. Cool. :P**


End file.
